A hero's humble priority
by 666ways2love
Summary: Contest entry. Four chapters. Another Triwizard Tournament in honour of the Dark Lord's fall and Harry is chosen to represent Hogwarts champion again.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 

"Why me? Why does it always have to be me?" Harry Potter whispered, shaking his head.

All of these has to be a dream, not a bad one though, just a little misfortunate. He was just tired morally, that was it. He looked around his dim tent. It was covered in Hogwarts' colours and symbols- a red lion, a blue raven, a yellow badger, and a green serpent. Why did they have to choose him? Weren't there any other school heroes around?

"Well, apparently the hunting season is open for the ones that defeated Lord Voldemort a month earlier", he thought to himself.

Since September, instead of school, Harry has been hunting for him, willing to kill him, revenge for all his loved ones. Hermione and Ron never left his side. They were great friend, the best a person could ever find and Harry was thankful. They managed to gather all the remaining horcruxes and destroy them. Except one that is, the closest to Voldemort. That's when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named started hunting for them. Ironically they met at the old cemetery near the Riddle house. Voldemort was more hideous then ever, Harry noted. His eyes were flaring red, his snakelike nostrils reduced to barely seen slits, his expression of pure furry and hate. Harry faced him alone. Ron and Hermione went off to kill Nagini, the last horcrux. Harry was a little nervous, because he didn't know when they would find the snake. It might just be a little too late when they did. Voldemort might just finish him off. He swallowed and gripped his wand tighter, looking the Dark Lord straight in the eyes. This was it, his last battle. He expected it to be more crowded. He expected Deatheaters and the Order fighting around him, reassuring him with their presence… or at least that Ron and Hermione would be there to urge him on… no, that would have been too egoistic, he couldn't let his friends be killed if he screwed up. Alone was better. Alone face-to-face with the one he loathed so much… but Harry couldn't pretend he wasn't scared.

Voldemort raised his wand. Harry was prepared to block the magic… unless of course it was Avada Kedavra. Suddenly You-Know-Who's wand dropped from his hand. His face screwed up in a distinct expression of agony. He gripped his stomach, and Harry could see sweat forming on his smooth colourless forehead. Harry's heart raced. It could mean only one thing. Ron and Hermione killed Nagini. Harry prepared himself for the battle, being in much better spirit now. He waited. He couldn't strike now. He had to see his face; he had to the face of the murderer. After some time Voldemort straightened. He looked at Harry and laughed.

"Being your noble self, Potter? Not striking a man when his back is turned?"

But Harry saw something else in those horrible eyes. It was not only the _pretence_ of amusement and not only the hate… he saw fear. He hated him, hated him! He killed his parents! It was his fault Sirius and Dumbledore died! And the Longbottoms tortured! Voldemort raised his wand but Harry was ahead of him.

"You are no man!" he screamed, "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Voldemort's body never hit the earth of the cemetery. He didn't belong there. His shriek melted into ashes, as did his body. His remains were swept away by the wind.

"TEN MINUTES, MR. POTTER!" someone yelled from outside Harry's tent, making him jump and knocking him out of the spell of his thoughts.

He looked at his watch. They were new and waterproof, unlike the old one that broke during his second task of the Triwizard tournament in his fourth year. It was a special gift from Hermione. Just in case there will be water in this Tournament, she said to Harry, giving him the watch and a friendly smile.

Harry still couldn't believe he was chosen in this Triwizard Tournament, which was set in celebration of the defeat of the Dark Lord. Sometimes looking around at people, Harry had this stupid thought, that they were celebrating as if they did it themselves, as if they stood in front of him and looked into his hate filled eyes. Anger boiled inside him at these moments and he tried hard to stop it from coming to the surface. Did they know what it felt like? They didn't! They knew nothing!

Harry forced himself to calm down a little. He was nervous. Maybe the people chose him as a champion thinking that he can do anything if he killed You-Know-Who. After the Goblet was destroyed accidentally during one of Voldemort's attacks upon the Ministry, people voted for their champions. Hogwarts voted for Harry, but it didn't make him feel any braver. Good thing the Tournament was at Hogwarts again. At least he felt like he belonged. After all, Hogwarts was his home.

"FIVE MINUTES. THE CHAMPIONS ARE TO GATHER IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL!"

Harry took a deep breath and closed his eyes. This was it. Maybe he didn't really want to be a champion, but he might as well try his best to win. He slowly exhaled and stepped out of the tent into the bright June morning.

Harry walked towards a group of people standing right in front of the Great Oak doors. There were Headmistress McGonagal and Madam Maxime and Potapoff, who was Durmstrang's headmaster now. Professor McGonagal looked her usual strict self, but nevertheless, Harry could swear her lips twisted in a brief smile as he approached. Madam Maxime was as gigantic as usual. She was standing with Hagrid, who was as red as a tomato, whispering something in his ear and covering with a fan and giggling like a schoolgirl, which sounded more like a neigh of a mad horse. Her other arm was placed on Beauxbaton champion, who was a young man of extremely delicate aristocratic appearance. His knees were shaking a little now, as Harry observed, and it was not because of him being nervous. He tried to escape from underneath his headmistress's more then average arm but in vain. Every time he almost succeeded, she pressed him closer making him suffocate from the sudden and inevitable contact with her more then average belly. Potapoff, very contrary to the previous Headmaster, was a round little man with a little more then healthy blush on his puffy cheeks. He always ran out of breath and his students had to float him up the stairs if it was a long way. Nevertheless Harry liked him. His smile was kind (although some could say, he smiled because he has no idea what's going on) and his eyes reminded Harry of Dumbledore, although there wasn't a glint of all knowing intelligence in them.

Harry stood not far from the judge's table, waiting for their instructions. A big magical screen hung right in front of the crowd. Harry recalled seeing one like that on the Quidditch World Cup, the one that flashed advertisements of products. This time it was divided into three equal parts, showing the faces of the champions. Harry hardly recognized his firm set features. Steady emerald fire blazed in his eyes.

He turned away from the screen. His eyes scanned the crowd on the stands, searching for friendly faces. Hermione, Ron and Ginny stood up and waved at him. Harry smiled and waved back. Hermione pointed somewhere to the left of her and winked. Harry's eyes shifted in that direction and he noticed a big poster in Dean's and Seamus' hands. It was an old one, from his first Quidditch match. It flashed, "Potter for president", in different colours and had a roaring lion on it. Harry beamed, feeling his eyes sting a little. All of them, they were great friends. The best in the whole world!

"Attention students and champions!" boomed the voice of the Minister of Magic, "The first round of this year's Triwizard Tournament is about to commence! Let me inform you all about the regulations. The Tournament will have three tasks. This year it is decided that it will take form of a scavenger hunt. You will have to find three absolutely random things. Clues will be given out in riddle forms. In this task you will not have a prior clue to your piece of puzzle. You will only have directions on how to find it. However in this task you will find not only the piece of puzzle you are looking for but also the clue to the origin of your next puzzle piece. It is all up to you to figure out your directions. Do not try to ask help from anyone or anything what so ever. Teachers will be observing your progress. All your puzzles are hidden in the same place, but we will send you into three different directions. The length of the way depends only on your ability to figure your clue our. The clues will be able to give you hints, however points will be taken for the number of hints you asked for, as well as time extensions. Champions from Beauxbaton and Durmstrang have a very detailed map of Hogwarts charmed into their minds. The Hogwarts champion will do without it, to make the game fair. You have an hour. Upon my signal, you may enter the castle", he paused. "On your marks, get set, go!"


	2. Chapter 2

buChapter 2/u/b 

Harry wasn't prepared for such a quick start. Both champions rushed into the double oak doors just as he realised what they were supposed to do. He saw his face going red on the magical screen, as he ran after the two other champions. As he entered Hogwarts, he was stunned by the silence comparing to the roar of the crowd outside. There were two teachers standing. He could see the Durmstrang girl taking a piece of paper from one of them. The girl, whose name was Anna Nemiroff, had short dark brown hair and a rather dangerous appearance, in Harry's personal opinion. He guessed the Beauxbaton boy, Gerard Bonchance, already turned the corner and was on his way to finding the clue. It made Harry gather his wits and speed up a little.

"G-good morning", he said politely approaching the teacher in red robes, who just nodded and smiled at him, giving his a folded piece of paper.

Harry thanked her and turned around to go, but then it hit him that he didn't know where Bonchance went. He wanted to ask the teacher, but just as he opened his mouth, he turned into dust. Harry gave a startled scream of horror, looking at the clay at his feet. What happened there? He needed to find someone! Ask for help! As he was about to run back onto the grounds, a voice boomed all around, like a Howler, making him jump once again.

"Please proceed, Mr. Potter, and do not ask questions again. And for your information, it was no teacher, but a useful piece of magic called Homunculus. You will learn that in Auror training. Now go on".

Only now Harry did notice two other piles of clay in the Great Hall. His heartbeat steadied. He unfolded his piece of paper.

_You look for key, untold to men_

_Have patience show you what she can_

_To find patience that you seek_

_Look up at towers on an peek_

Harry looked around confused. Was this a real hint? It seemed like a bunch of nonsense words. _Key untold to men_? Key, meaning the hint he was looking for. What was he supposed to do, turn into a toad so the hint can be told to him? How on earth is he going to hear it? And why was "peek" written with "an"? Harry's head began to spin. What is he going to do now?

A brief thought about him just walking out of the castle and telling everyone he is giving up went through his mind. He shook it away, deciding to move on, but still having no clue of the direction. If he faced Voldemort, then he could face this. He turned the note in his hand. No, he would not use clues. He just needed to think a little. Looking at the note, he bumped into a wall. Harry looked up and saw an empty corridor, instead of a solid thing he walked into. He stared and stretched his hand cautiously. It seemed as if transparent rock was on the way. Was it-?

"MR.POTTER!" McGonagal's voice ricocheted off the stone walls making Harry jump for the umpteenth time. God, that woman had a voice that could wake the dead. "Would you PLEASE move on and stop trying to barge into Mr. Bonchance's corridor!"

Harry felt blush flooding his face again. He knelt as if to tie his shoelaces so no one would see his going crimson. So the corridors where the other champions went were blocked. Okay, one more thing cleared then. He got up and walked towards the corridor that people usually hardly noticed. It was very practical because usually it led to the main places of Hogwarts. He thought he would have a quite time to think there.

The corridor was well lit. He examined the note again and chuckled. Hermione probably would've figured everything out by then. She was good at these things. So he would have to think as she then for now.

Obviously clues were given as steps. There is the main problem the clue dangles in front of your face, _Key untold to men_. The untold to men part could be dropped for now. The key is the hint that must be told to him so he can find a puzzle piece. _Have patience show you what she can_, well, he surely felt patient enough, but it didn't show him much. Although it said he must find his patience. Assuming he hasn't got any. And he has to find a tower. There are hundreds of them in Hogwarts! Which one is he looking for? He sighed.

Okay, obviously the _an peek _is the first direction. Any peeks around? Something high. A peek could only refer to that, so that's a high tower, probably a big one… he frowned at the _an_… He needed another clue.

As if reading his mind, more ink appeared after the first riddle. It said,

_Look thou upon the _an

_If thou shalt seek direction_

Direction… there was left and right… south, east, west and… and North! Yes, it is the N on any map or pointer! _An peek, _North_ peek_! Yes! He had to go to the North Tower. Harry's heart skipped a beat. He ran all the way up skipping stairs and arriving completely out of breath. After a couple of moments despair caught up with him. Yes, he guessed one clue, wasting a hint and some points, losing so much time. He wondered worriedly if the other two figured the right answer out. Or maybe he figured it out wrong? He glanced at his watch, nearly cursing but remembering that he was watched. Thirty minutes were up and he hardly got past the first clue.

Harry looked around. Except the top of the tower when they usually watched stars, there was nothing except hundreds of paintings on the walls. So now he is here, he has to find his patience. Well, probably the paper was right, he was lacking it at the moment. But how on earth will he find it? _Have patience show you what she can. _Okay, and why is patience a she? He paced down the hall of paintings, not realising what he was doing… patience, patience…

"Patience, my dear! What a lovely tea party! May I inquire about the occasion?" someone's voice whispered intimately, followed by a woman's giggle.

Harry turned, losing balance and tripping on the carpet. He could almost hear the laughter form the stands where people sat. Probably they'd be saying something like, the noble Harry Potter decided to help the carpet from swaying, how sweet. He jumped up as fast as he could, searching for the source of voice and spotting it immediately. There was a lovely rosy painting of a plump woman sitting upon a grass field, having a picnic with a thin pale man, who was kissing her entire arm now. To Harry though it looked more like cannibalism with a prior intensive moisturising. But the woman seemed to enjoy it. She was giggling like a chainsaw.

Harry looked at the tag of the painting. _Patience_. With a capital P. It hit him now! Patience was a name, and that's why it was referred to as she in the riddle. It was this woman!

"Oh, Albert, dear! Look we have a visitor", she elbowed the pale man and smiled the way that reminded Harry of burned sugar, "Would you like to ask something?"

Harry opened his mouth to ask about the clue, but a voice boomed in the air.

"Miss Nemiroff! You are not supposed to talk, ask for help or directions!" Minerva McGonagal said steadily.

Harry immediately shut his mouth and mentally thanked McGonagal. He was about to turn when he heard voices again, but this time it sounded as if they aren't supposed to be overheard.

"Minerva, I think that was a little too obvious! And I say, that is enough!" said the Minister coldly.

"I have no idea what you are talking about", replied the Professor as coldly.

"Stop helping the boy! You are saying you turned the wrong lever, meaning to speak to Miss Nemiroff, but spoke to Potter instead. And Miss Nemiroff was just looking at the mirror!"

"Well! I thought it was one of the magical once! I'd never-"

"Never mind, let this be forgotten, but this is the last time!"

Whatever lever was switched on was off now. Harry stood there stunned but then once again remembering about being observed, turned to wards the portrait. Lady Patience smiled at him again, but he just shook his head.

"Very well, smart move. One just rushed past, not even looking at me!" she sniffed. Harry's heart leaped. Someone was here, either both or just one. And one didn't notice the portrait at all. "Your clue now, boy".

She cleared her throat dramatically and turned to Sir Albert, who sprayed something in her mouth. After catching tone by singing a couple of notes, she turned to Harry, who was already on the verge of collapsing with anticipation waiting for her and from her voice.

The puzzle you seek is right in the door 

_But neither on walls, and nor on the floor_

Harry hardy kept himself from squealing and stuffing carpet into his ears. He almost pictured himself doing that and even kneeled… but then the voice stopped. Phew, and there he thought McGonagal's voice was hideous. He'd take that back and eat it along with the carpet he was clutching at now.

"Marvellous, marvellous!" Albert clapped, "Once again, please, maybe he has a poor memory!"

Harry reassured them with frantic nodding and shaking of his head that his memory is fine. Albert just thought that his lady's voice was terrifically unforgettable, so Harry left them before he had to hear it again. Looking at his piece of paper with clues, he saw that the latest one imprinted itself there. He pondered on the clue.

Now he understood that everything should be taken literary in the riddle. As it was said in the first riddle, _key untold to men,_ was literary a key, not a hint! And so if it said, _in the door, _then it must be there, not on or behind or under. But the problem was finding a door that was not like all normal doors… it should be on the ceiling! Trelawney's class! How could he be so stupid!

There was the door, just as when he took the class… the way the ladder used to go down and they came up one by one for their exam… now it was closed and Harry could just make out a key hanging right in the lock. The boy decided not to hesitate as he did the previous tournament.

"Accio key", he said clearly.

The key struggled to get out for a moment and then flew right into Harry's hand on its papery wings. Harry unwrapped the paper and stuffed it in his pocket. The key was a solid gold colour. Its frame, unlike ordinary keys, was made of pipe like tubes. Harry hid the key and ran to the Oak Doors. The hour was almost up now. He had about ten minutes left now to cross the entire great turtle of Hogwarts.

Harry burst into the early summer sunshine to complete silence of the crowd. He was blinded for a minute and couldn't see whether he was the last one to finish. When he finally regained his sense of sight, Harry saw his Headmistress rushing to him with the Minister and other Headmasters at her tails.

"Congratulations, Potter, you made it first!" McGonagal shook his hand so hard that Harry thought he heard his brain rattling. And it seemed as it was, because he couldn't believe he was the first!

Just before his transfiguration teacher was swept away by the cheering crowd, Harry thought he heard her whisper, "Albus would have been so proud of you".


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 

"As I have told you a week earlier, this task will take place on the grounds. As the last time, the map was charmed into the foreign champion's minds", roared the Minister with his magnified voice, "The regulations are just the same. An hour. A paper with your clue. But this time there are three hiding places, individually for each champion. Points will be taken according to time and number of clues asked. And I would like to remind you that the points would be announced after the final task, right before champions are chosen. Any questions? Ah, no. I trust that you have looked at your given clue so you would know what you are looking for this time".

Harry shuddered. Indeed, he looked at the clue but it hasn't given him anything for that matter. He looked around at other champions. Gerard's face twitched slightly at mention of the clues, but Anna's stayed stone passive. Well, at least he wasn't the only one having difficulties. He briefly wondered what the other champion's clues were but brushed it away preferring to think of his own. Teachers gave them their clue papers. They were ready to go.

"On your marks, get set, go!"

This time Harry was prepared. He was the first to bolt. He made his wave towards the edge of the Forbidden Forest and stopped there to think. He saw the two others running into the trees some distance away from where he was. Gerard was definitely heading for the lake. Anna hesitated a little but nevertheless moved on. Harry concluded that he was the only one knowing anything about neither direction, nor the thing he was looking for. Panic swept through him. He unfolded his directions clue, figuring its better to find out where to go first and only then try and guess the other clue.

An extraordinary ball unfolds Step on the path of tears, which it holds 

_Look for a table with a candy dish_

_Among the rot and mould of fish_

The thing you see will glint of gold 

_And it will be the one that's cold_

Who are the people that make this riddles? Harry shook his head. If the last riddle he was supposed to take literary, this one is all figurative? Where would you find a ball in a forest? Because obviously it wasn't a ball, as a Quidditch ball, but it was a ball, as in Yule Ball. _Step on the path of tears… _the ball is held on a path of tears? What were they talking about? Harry's head spun. He felt a little nauseous. He hated panic but there it was.

"Clue, clue. I need a clue. Path of tears…" he said without thinking.

The paper responded right away. Harry wasted one clue.

Cracks in the ground will lead you on 

_Just follow them, you will not say alone_

"Oh, okay! So the path of tears is like a cracked path. Darn it", he thought looking at the paper.

He searched his mind for cracked paths of Hogwarts grounds and found that he hasn't actually given them much thought. Not good. Harry walked rapidly along the edge of the forest, looking at numerous paths leading into the forest. They were all either dusty, or sandy, or full of leaves and pine needle, but no cracks. No stupid cracks!

Hagrid's hut appeared ahead. There was the now empty pumpkin patch, where he grew giant pumpkins. There was the path they took so many times into the forest. The path was cracked. Harry hit smacked his forehead once again wondering about his stupidity. There was a main crack on the path as if someone walked with a saw deliberately making the tear but Harry knew better. The crack looked ancient and he was pretty sure it was always there, he just didn't give it much thought.

He followed the path until it forked into two ways. The young man hesitated and took the right one. After a little while he noticed that the crack faded and he was walking on a completely smooth ground. In a little while he reached the edge of the lake, right where he battled Dementors in his third year. He shivered remembering their raspy breathing and long slimy fingers.

Harry's thought were interrupted by some movement on the other side of the lake, where he had seen his Patronus come from. For a moment his heart fluttered in anticipation before realising that it wasn't possible. He saw a figure of a young man- the Beauxbaton champion. He stood on the edge of water, looking extremely hesitant and reading his paper. Suddenly he dived in.

Harry started. What was the guy thinking? What if something gets him there? He stood there for a while waiting for Gerard to come up. Finally he did. But after taking a couple of deep breaths, he went below again. Becoming aware of his timing, Harry decided it was safe enough to leave Bonchance to his business and followed his path back to the fork.

This time he took the left one. The crack tear in the ground was very distinct. The farther he went, the more smaller cracks appeared there. Then suddenly the path ended. Harry looked around. So where was he supposed to go now? He glanced at his clue, _an extraordinary ball unfolds._ A ball in the forest? With whom? Birds and bees? He sighed. There was no choice.

"Clue about the ball", he said to the paper.

_A ball of figures, all gone long_

_In other world they don't belong_

Okay. Long gone, meaning dead. He gulped. There weren't zombies in the forest, were there? No, they are mindless. These are supposedly smart, since they have balls. Oh my god! THE ANNUAL GHOST BALL! So that's where it took place! He remembered Headless Nick mention it some time.

He continued in the direction the path was supposed to go and much sooner then he expected, Harry heard voices and a horrible orchestra. He walked on to a clearing. The floor looked like a desert. The earth was dry and cracked everywhere. Ghostly shapes floated around him. He walked through a couple, careful not to say, "Excuse me". Okay so now he needed to find a table with fish.

"Harry, my boy! How very good to see you here", said Sir Nicolas, floating towards him.

Harry gave a small smile, nodded and waved.

"Oh right, you are our champion again. Looking for a clue, aren't you? Yes, yes. How about something to eat while you catch your breath?"

Harry was about to shake his head frantically, remembering all the dishes he had a chance to look at during Nick's birthday in his second year. But then he realised he needed to get to the food, because that was where his clue led him. He nodded carefully. Nick made his way through bodiless spirits with Harry trailing behind him. They came to the edge where the tables were situated. The boy was left to himself as Nick, blushing silver, floated away to speak to the Ravenclaw ghost.

Immediately Harry located the fish table. It was sickening. Everything was rotten and full of mould and fungi and some dishes even had they own warms. Harry's breakfast was about to go for a long vacation. But then the boy spotted a golden bowl. He was rather astonished to find out it was full of what looked like golden jelly beans. He looked at clue of the object.

_A little sun of ticking clock_

The line was leaving him clueless for a week already and now it made no sense either. He took out the directions paper and observed the last lines. So he found a candy dish all right. The whole thing glinted in gold! But there must be one that will be cold. Okay, so he needed to touch all of the beans? That would take way too long!

Harry sighed and lifted the bowl without any further thought, spilling the contents on the clacked earth. Suddenly everything started to shake. The boy nearly lost his balance and was about to collapse, when the shaking stopped. When he looked at the beans, he was surprised to find out that there was nothing left there, except one thing. It was a detail of a clock that looked a little bit like the sun. a piece of paper was stuck through the hole in the middle. So that was it! He picked it up and stuffed it into his pocket, reflecting that it felt icy.

Now Harry ran as fast as his legs carried him. He raced out of the forest already out of breath from dodging tree but kept on running, noticing that Bonchance jumped out of the forest at the same time Harry did. He was all wet but he was over taking the Hogwarts champion by far. Where was Nemiroff though?

As if answering his question, fingers griped his collar and he stumbled and fell down heavily. He heard a triumphant shriek and the next second saw a pair of feet running away. The girl turned and sneered.

"Looser!"

The next second she fell like a potato sack, her legs locked together. Harry didn't lose his time. He was furious and that gave him power to run. He leaped over the shrieking in rage Anna and gained on Gerard. The boy got there first but Harry was a second behind him. He collapsed on the ground right away as people flooded the field. The task was over. He came second, which Harry thought wasn't such a bad thing at all.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 Its like no other, the house you seek 

_All year around its dark and bleak_

_Inside the secrets are revealed_

_And riddles just as cards are dealt_

The riddle was pretty much simple alright. This round they were supposed to search Hogsmead. The third task. The minister's words went through his head while he and the others waited for the start.

"This task will take form of a race. You have to get to the particular place in Hogsmead that your clue indicated. There will be three ways there. If you get there first you have two tasks to complete. If second, three, and if third four. You will be riddled and you have to give the right answer to the homunculus. The trick is that you are still not allowed to talk to anyone or anything, otherwise you saw what happened to Miss Nemiroff the last time. Which reminds me, there will be not disrespect towards either champion. Is that clear? Good. You will have a couple of minutes to prepare for your race. And remember, no dirty play, we are watching you. When you get the rest of the keys, you have to race here as well. Good luck!"

Harry was worried. He was fast but the other champions were clucking chickens either. He looked at the two of them. The aristocratic Gerard Bonchance was running on a spot and stretching. Looks like he was ready for this. The rock faced Anna Nemiroff looked as brutal as ever. She caught Harry's eye and smirked in a very nasty way. The boy turned away quickly. He waved at his friend looking down at him from the stands and went towards the start. The destination was the Shrinking Shack that was for sure.

"Please prepare yourself for the run. On your marks, get set, go!"

Harry ran. He was a good runner, since Dudley's schooling. He didn't run to fast for now, he kept the rhythm. Nemiroff over took him puffing and huffing but at a good speed. He couldn't see where Bonchance was but guessed that he wasn't far, using the same strategy as Harry did. Anna turned the corner of the gates and was out of sight but he had a feeling he will see her soon. He continued his monotone running strategy. As Hogsmead came into sight, his fellow champion Gerard ran a little faster. Harry didn't change his pace. He saw Anna now. He overtook her and heard her make a low shrieking sound. She was out of breath and wasn't able to keep it with the boys now, although Harry noticed that by her speed actually was greater than his.

Shrinking Shack loomed on the horizon. Harry was about five meters from the Beauxbaton champion. He tried to gain speed but the other boy noticed and ran faster. Harry decided to keep it that way because he realised there was no chance of being first. Well, three or two riddles weren't so much of a difference.

They burst into the house one after the other. There was three shabby doors right ahead, numbered from one to three accordingly. Gerard stopped and looked at Harry cautiously, fearing that the latter might attack him and take the first door, but Harry just shook his head. Bonchance relaxed and stopped to catch his breath for a second, then pushed the door in the middle, where a blue number one was glowing. Harry followed him, taking the right door with a two glowing in red.

It was pitch black inside. The last strip of light disappeared when the door closed. Harry lit his wand saying the spell in his head, just as they were taught in sixth year. His wand lit a small room that reminded him of his old broom cupboard. The rag-like wallpaper peeled to reveal cracked cardboard walls. There was a thick carpet of dust on the floor. There was a woman standing in the middle and smiling at Harry politely. The boy nodded to her in greeting, remembering not to talk just in time. The woman opened her mouth and spoke,

_Take prince charming in his armour_

_And sit him on a female horse_

_The answer comes to you in hours_

_When you are vulnerable the most_

Harry indicated with his hand to repeat the riddle again. The woman did. _Prince charming in his armour _could be a knight, that's not hard. Well, obviously he has a horse but why female precisely? And what does it have to do with your most vulnerable hours? Okay, vulnerable hours... Harry remembered Dumbledore telling him about Voldemort getting into his head while he is asleep. So the time when you are most exposed to danger should be night. Okay and when you are asleep, you are dreaming. Is "dream" the right answer? Something told him its not. Well, the prince charming could be a dream, a girl's dream that is, but what does it have to do with a mare? That's it! It's a knight and a mare! Nightmare!

He looked up the woman-homunculus. She was still smiling at him with that polite glazed manner. So how the hell will he tell her the answer? Harry looked around the room for an object that could be associated with a night and a mare and spotted… dust! (No, guys, Harry didn't go mad at this point)

He got on his knees and scribed "nightmare" on the floor. The woman looked at it and became a pile of clay, managing to nod before that. Nothing happened for a minute, but then a trap door with a pop opened right above him and a rope ladder fell on his head. Harry struggle to free him self from its clutches for a moment or two and finally, managing to do so, climbed up.

The same woman that just became a pile of clay stood in the back of the room. Harry walked towards her, as she started speaking,

_Moon is a part of me_

_My cry you hear some night_

_There is no going back for me_

_There is no fair fight_

Harry frowned. The answer seemed to be on the tip of his tongue. He chewed his lip nervously, looking around. It was the room where he met Sirius, where he realised Remus was… the answer! He wrote "Werewolf" upon the dust. The figure turned to clay and floor disappeared from under him. He slid down a chute biting his tongue not to scream something out loud.

Harry landed with a thud, but fortunately without hurting himself. Another clay figure stood in front of him. He straightened. It spoke.

_Here you are allowed to speak but only once_

_You should pronounce one letter_

_Ah you have come here_

_And this step is last_

_To get your puzzle _

_You think fast_

_What word is written in five letters?_

_But said as if no more then one_

_On count of three your time will have out run_

And the clay woman began to count. Harry wanted to laugh out loud with joy. Just this morning, Hermione, fussing as she usually was made his run through series of muggle logic riddle. This one was there. Before the woman reached three, Harry spoke,

"Q", he said clearly.

The woman smiled and turned into clay. Harry felt something tube-like appear in his hand. The object he was supposed to find this time was a flute. A lit doorway appeared behind the clay woman's remains. Harry stepped inside…

… To collide with someone else.

"Sorry", muttered being completely on autopilot.

The next second his legs locked together, his lips seemed glued to each other. Anna grinned widely. Harry could tell she was planning on it. As Nemiroff was about to take off, still sneering evilly, another door burst open and Gerard jumped out and ran without looking at what was happening. The Durmstrang champion grimaced in furry and ran after the boy, leaving the other one behind.

An iron hand of panic seized Harry's mind. He knew he will be mobile in about two minutes but the other two would be one third of the way there. There will be no point running behind them. well, there will but he will definitely not take the first place.

By the time Harry went back to normal, he had an idea. He walked into the room without numbers, somewhere where the champions weren't supposed to end up. But, hey, no one said anything about not using secret tunnels! He walked down the stony low corridor at a fast pace. At the mouth of the exit he pressed a secret knot, making the tree freeze. And then, he ran as fast as he could. Harry spotted Gerard coming form the opposite direction. He ran at a relaxed pace, thinking he had won. Harry speeded up.

A part of crowd that noticed Harry started to point and cheer in astonishment and admiration. When Bonchance finally realised that they weren't cheering for him, it was too late to gain on Harry, who got there first.

First, first! He won! This time fair and square, without people helping him, without any trap! It felt good. He spotted the furious Durmstrang champion running her last couple of meters completely out of breath. The noises of the crowd were stopped by the booming voice of the Minister.

"Now, now, children, settle down just for a bit, so we can settle all scores! Each round is worth fifty points. Minus five per additional clue and minus the number of extended minutes and plus number of saved minutes. The total score for all rounds is one hundred fifty", he cleared his throat as a paper was passed on to him. "First round. Third place with thirty point- Durmstrang champion, Miss Anna Nemiroff. Two additional clues, ten minutes late. Second place with thirty seven points Mr. Gerard Bonchance. One clue, eight minutes. And first place with forty seven point, as you might have guessed, - Mr. Harry Potter of Hogwarts! One clue, two minute earlier. Bravo, Mr. Potter".

There was loud long cheer for Harry, complete with whistles and whoops. The Ministers smiled and asked for silence.

"Second round. Last place- Anna Nemiroff. Two clues, six late minutes. Total- thirty four points. Second place- Harry Potter. Two clues, minus four minutes. Thirty six".

There was polite clapping with a touch of disappointment in Hogwarts' students. The Minister went on.

"First place- Gerard Bonchance with his forty one point. Minus one clue and four minutes. And the last round, ladies and gentlemen. Third place- Anna Nemiroff, thirty eight. Minus two clues and two minutes. Second place with forty seven points, Mr. Potter. One extra clue, but two minutes earlier. And first place- Gerard Bonchance with his fifty one points! One minute earlier! No extra clue! Very nice!"

"And now it is time to conclude the results. Third place. Hundred two points. Anna Nemiroff. Second place. One hundred and twenty nine points", he paused dramatically.

The only thing you could hear at that moment was birds. Everyone held their breaths.

"Second place. Gerard Bonchance! And first place with hundred thirty points, Mr. Harry Potter of Hogwarts!"

The Minister's last words died in the loud cheer of the crowd. Hogwarts won! Harry was the champion. The crowd, consisting of teachers and students swept over him, each wanting to shake him hand or pat his back or say something at least! After a while he felt himself being pulled away into someone's arms.

Brown smiling eyes. Blush that matched her red hair. A dust of random freckles. Soft lips that tasted like caramel ice cream.

He didn't care if he was a Hogwarts' hero. The important thing that he was her.


End file.
